1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information record medium such as an optical disk of a high recording density type, which is capable of recording information such as video information, audio information and the like at a high density, and which is represented by a DVD (Digital Video or Versatile Disk). The present invention also relates to a recording apparatus for recording the information onto the information record medium, and a reproducing apparatus for reproducing the information from the information record medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a so-called LD (Laser Disk) and a so-called CD (Compact Disk) are generalized as optical disks, on which information such as video information, audio information and the like is recorded.
On the LD or the like, the video information and the audio information are recorded together with time information indicating a time at which each information is to be reproduced with respect to a reproduction start position, which each LD or the like has, as a standard position. Thus, other than a general normal reproduction to reproduce the recorded information in the order of recording, various special reproductions are possible, such as a reproduction to extract and listen to an only desirable music out of a plurality of recorded musics, a reproduction to listen to the recorded musics in a random order and so on, in case of the CD, for example.
However, the above mentioned LD and the like have such a problem that it is not possible to perform a variegated reproduction. For example, when it is desired to stop a presently displayed picture to thereby display it as a still picture, it can be attained only by carrying out a temporary stop operation according to the intention of the audience to thereby reproduce it as the still picture. On the contrary, the picture cannot be stopped according to the intention of an author who produces the information to be recorded (hereafter, simply referred to as an author).
On the other hand, various proposals and developments are being made as for the DVD, as an optical disk in which the memory capacity is improved by about ten times without changing the size of the optical disk itself as compared with the aforementioned conventional CD. However, in the above mentioned case, a recording apparatus and a reproducing apparatus for the record information are not proposed and developed, which can perform a still picture reproduction according to the author""s intention for the record information to thereby carry out the variegated reproduction. Moreover, the actuality is such that a person having an ordinary skill in this art does not even recognize a subject itself to realize an recording apparatus and an reproducing apparatus for the record information, which can perform the still picture reproduction according to the author""s intention for the record information to thereby carry out the variegated reproduction.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide: an information recording apparatus for recording the information in such a manner as to allow the still picture reproduction according to the author""s intention for the record information to thereby carry out the variegated reproduction; an information record medium on which the information is recorded in that manner by the information recording apparatus; and an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing the recorded information.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an information recording apparatus, provided with: a signal process device for dividing record information to be recorded into a plurality of partial record informations including at least video information, for applying a predetermined signal process, such as a process based on the MPEG 2 method etc., to each of the partial record informations to thereby output processed partial record information, and for generating and outputting, on the basis of control information which is inputted from the external to control a reproduction of the record information, additional information including still time information indicative of a time for performing a still picture reproduction of a final picture of each of the partial record informations which is a picture included in each of the partial record informations at a final portion thereof after reproducing each of the partial record informations, at a time of reproducing the record information, the still time information being set for each of the partial record informations; a multiplex device for multiplexing the processed partial record information and the additional information to thereby generate multiplexed processed record information; and a record device, such as a mastering device etc., for recording the multiplexed processed record information onto an information record medium, such as a DVD etc.
According to the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the record information to be recorded is divided into a plurality of partial record informations including at least video information, by the signal process device. Then, a predetermined signal process is applied to each of the partial record informations, so that the processed partial record information is outputted, by the signal process device. On the basis of the control information, the additional information including the still time information indicative of a time for performing a still picture reproduction of a final picture of each of the partial record informations after reproducing each of the partial record informations, at a time of reproducing the record information, is generated and outputted by the signal process device. Then, the processed partial record information and the additional information are multiplexed by the multiplex device, so that the multiplexed processed record information is generated. Finally, the multiplexed processed record information is recorded onto the information record medium, by the record device.
Accordingly, since the additional information including the still time information is recorded together with the processed partial record information, by performing the still picture reproduction of the final picture of the partial record information on the basis of the still time information at a time of reproducing the record information, it is possible to reproduce the final picture of the partial record information as either the dynamic picture or the still picture, and also possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time period or duration of the still picture reproduction is changed for each of the partial record informations according to the author""s intention.
As a result, it is possible to perform the variegated reproduction for the record information while reducing the amount of the recorded information, at a time of reproducing the record information.
In one aspect of the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the still time information includes: time specifying still time information to perform the still picture reproduction of the final picture for a predetermined time period set in advance; and infinite still time information to continue the still picture reproduction of the final picture until a still picture reproduction cancel signal to stop the still picture reproduction is inputted from the external during the still picture reproduction.
According to this aspect, since the still time information includes both of the time specifying still time information and the infinite still time information, by controlling the reproduction on the basis of one of these still time informations, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time is specified according to the author""s intention, and also possible to continue the still picture reproduction until the stop of the still picture reproduction is specified by the audience.
In another aspect of the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the additional information further includes still specifying informations to perform, after reproducing divided partial record informations, such as GOPs (Group Of Pictures) etc., into which the processed partial record information is further divided, the still picture reproduction of the final picture contained in each of the divided partial record informations.
According to this aspect, since the additional information further includes the still specifying information, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction for each of the divided partial record informations at a time of reproducing the record information according to the author""s intention.
In another aspect of the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the additional information includes a plurality of still time informations, which correspond to same one of the partial record informations and which respectively indicate times to perform the still picture reproduction different from each other. And that, the multiplex device multiplexes the processed partial record information and the additional information so as to record the additional information at a record position on the information record medium, which is different from a portion where the record information is recorded and which is reproduced prior to the reproduction of the record information.
According to this aspect, the additional information includes a plurality of still time informations corresponding to the same one of the partial record informations, and the multiplex device multiplexes the processed record information and the additional information so as to record the additional information at a record position on the information record medium, which is different from the portion where the record information is recorded and which is reproduced prior to the reproduction of the record information. As a result, it is possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions in the number corresponding the number of still time informations. It is also possible to collectively select and obtain the still time information or the still specifying information contained in the additional information before reproducing the record information.
As a result, it is possible to effectively perform the still picture reproduction by obtaining in advance the still time information or the still specifying information, and also possible to protect an error operation of the still picture reproduction due to the mixed reproduction of the record information and the still time information or the still specifying information, and further possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by an information record medium, such as the DVD etc., recorded with record information to be reproduced by an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing the record information on the basis of additional information recorded on the information record medium besides the record information. The information record medium comprises a data structure stored in the information record medium and including: processed partial record information generated by applying a predetermined signal process, such as a process based on the MPEG 2 method etc., to each of partial record informations into which the record information is divided and which include at least video information; and still time information, which is included in the additional information and which indicates a time for performing a still picture reproduction of a final picture of each of the partial record informations, which is a picture included in each of the partial record informations at a final portion thereof, after reproducing each of the partial record informations at a time of reproducing the record information. The still time information is set for each of the partial record informations. And that, the processed partial record information and the additional information are multiplexed and recorded on the information record medium.
According to the information record medium of the present invention, since it has such a data structure that the processed partial record information and the additional information including the still time information are multiplexed, it is possible to reproduce the final picture of the partial record information as either the dynamic picture or the still picture, and also possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time period or duration of the still picture reproduction is changed for each of the partial record informations according to the author""s intention.
As a result, it is possible to perform the variegated reproduction for the record information while reducing the amount of the recorded information, at a time of reproducing the record information.
In one aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the still time information includes: time specifying still time information to perform the still picture reproduction of the final picture for a predetermined time period set in advance; and infinite still time information to continue the still picture reproduction of the final picture until a still picture reproduction cancel signal to stop the still picture reproduction is inputted from the external during the still picture reproduction.
According to this aspect, since the still time information includes the time specifying still time information and the infinite still time information, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time is specified according to the author""s intention, and also possible to continue the still picture reproduction until the stop of the still picture reproduction is specified by the audience.
In another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the additional information further includes still specifying information to perform, after reproducing divided partial record informations into which the processed partial record information is further divided, the still picture reproduction of the final picture contained in each of the divided partial record informations.
According to this aspect, since the additional information further includes the still specifying information, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction for each of the divided partial record informations at a time of reproducing the record information according to the author""s intention.
In another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the additional information includes a plurality of still time informations, which correspond to same one of the partial record informations and which respectively indicate times to perform the still picture reproduction different from each other. And that, the additional information is recorded at a record position on the information record medium, which is different from a portion where the record information is recorded and which is reproduced prior to the reproduction of the record information.
According to this aspect, it is possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions in the number corresponding the number of still time informations. It is also possible to collectively select and obtain the still time information or the still specifying information contained in the additional information before reproducing the record information.
As a result, it is possible to effectively perform the still picture reproduction by obtaining in advance the still time information or the still specifying information, and also possible to protect an error operation of the still picture reproduction due to the mixed reproduction of the record information and the still time information or the still specifying information, and further possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing record information from the above described information record medium of the present invention. The information reproducing apparatus is provided with: a detection and demodulation device, such as an optical pickup, a demodulation and error-correction unit etc., for detecting and demodulating the processed partial record information and the additional information from the information record medium to thereby output a demodulation signal; an extract device, such as a system buffer etc., for extracting the additional information from the demodulation signal; and a control device, such as a system controller etc., for controlling the still picture reproduction of the final picture of each of the partial record informations, on the basis of the still time information included in the extracted additional information.
According to the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the processed partial record information and the additional information are detected and demodulated from the information record medium, so that the demodulation signal is outputted, by the detection and demodulation device. Then, the additional information is extracted from the demodulation signal, by the extract device. Then, the still picture reproduction of the final picture of each of the partial record informations is controlled by the control device on the basis of the still time information included in the extracted additional information.
Therefore, it is possible to reproduce the final picture of the partial record information as either the dynamic picture or the still picture, and also possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time period or duration of the still picture reproduction is changed for each of the partial record informations according to the author""s intention.
As a result, it is possible to perform the variegated reproduction for the record information while reducing the amount of the recorded information, at a time of reproducing the record information.
In one aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the additional information further includes still specifying information to perform, after reproducing divided partial record informations such as the GOPs etc., into which the processed partial record information is further divided, the still picture reproduction of the final picture contained in each of the divided partial record informations. And that, the control device controls the still picture reproduction of the final picture included in each of the divided partial record informations on the basis of the still specifying information.
According to this aspect, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction for each of the divided partial record informations at a time of reproducing the record information according to the author""s intention.
In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the additional information includes a plurality of still time informations, which correspond to same one of the partial record informations and which respectively indicate times to perform the still picture reproduction different from each other. And that, the control device controls the detection and demodulation device and the extract device to reproduce the additional information prior to the reproduction of the record information other than the additional information.
According to this aspect, it is possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions in the number corresponding the number of still time informations. It is also possible to collectively select and obtain the still time information or the still specifying information contained in the additional information before reproducing the record information.
As a result, it is possible to effectively perform the still picture reproduction by obtaining in advance the still time information or the still specifying information, and also possible to protect an error operation of the still picture reproduction due to the mixed reproduction of the record information and the still time information or the still specifying information, and further possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions.
In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the still time information includes: time specifying still time information to perform the still picture reproduction of the final picture for a predetermined time period set in advance; and infinite still time information to continue the still picture reproduction of the final picture until a still picture reproduction cancel signal to stop the still picture reproduction is inputted from the external during the still picture reproduction. And that, the control device controls the still picture reproduction of the final picture, on the basis of the time specifying still time information and the infinite still time information.
As a result, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction which time is specified by the author""s intention, and also possible to continue the still picture reproduction until the stop instruction of the still picture reproduction is given by the audience.
In this aspect, it is preferable that: the information reproducing apparatus is further provided with an input device for inputting the still picture reproduction cancel signal therethrough; and the control device controls the still picture reproduction cancel signal to be ineffective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the time specifying still time information, and to be effective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the infinite still time information.
According to this aspect, the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device. Then, the control device controls the still picture reproduction cancel signal to be ineffective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the time specifying still time information, and to be effective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the infinite still time information.
Therefore, it is possible to prevent the time period or duration of the still picture reproduction, which is specified by the time specifying still time information, from being cut or shortened carelessly, and also possible to stop the still picture reproduction by the audience""s intention in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the infinite still time information since the still picture reproduction cancel signal is made effective.
As a result, it is possible to perform the reproduction reflecting the author""s intention, as well as the reproduction reflecting the audience""s intention.
In this case, it is preferable that: the information reproducing apparatus is further provided with a display device; and the control device controls the display device to display such a message that the still picture reproduction cancel signal is ineffective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the time specifying still time information.
As a result, since the message is displayed under the control of the control device, it is possible for the audience to recognize that the still picture reproduction cancel signal is ineffective in this case. Thus, it is possible to perform the reproduction of the record information which operation condition can be easily understood by the audience.
In this case, it is also preferable that: the information reproducing apparatus is further provided with a display device; and the control device controls the display device to display such a message that the still picture reproduction cancel signal is effective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the infinite still time information.
As a result, since the message is displayed under the control of the control device, it is possible for the audience to recognize that the still picture reproduction cancel signal is effective in this case. Thus, it is possible to perform the reproduction of the record information which operation condition can be easily understood by the audience.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.